


In This Our Time Of Need

by Thunder_the_Wolf



Series: Living is Harder [4]
Category: Hamilton - Miranda
Genre: Additional Warnings In Author's Note
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-23
Updated: 2019-08-23
Packaged: 2020-09-24 21:48:30
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,922
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20365621
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Thunder_the_Wolf/pseuds/Thunder_the_Wolf
Summary: "Dying is easy, young man. Living is harder."George Washington was not Alexander Hamilton's advisor in college, but he should have been. Being a double-major was hell, but he made it through remarkably unscathed, largely thanks to Washington's help. The man always had some crazy saying ready to soothe fears and calm panic, that phrase among them. So Alex is determined to pay him back. Helping the man handle the governor's seat suddenly left to him in the wake of his father's death was the least Alexander could do. He just never imagined they would make it all the way to the top. Or that Washington wanted to. But here they are... and there goes the neighborhood.





	In This Our Time Of Need

**Author's Note:**

> Chapter One makes reference to a number of issues, both past and present, and several of them are political. This includes abortion rights, slavery and lynching, threats to children, abuse, drinking problems, current immigration policy and obvious examples of it not working, vehicle accidents, and if I think of anything else I'll add to this. Warnings like these will be at the beginning of every chapter it's necessary.

Alex woke up knowing that it was not going to be a good day, even if he couldn't pinpoint why just yet. He resolved to keep his mouth shut as he helped Phil and Theo get ready for school, but as the day wore on, he found that rather difficult. 

It culminated in what had to be the biggest mistake of his life.

_ "Up next on Political Muse, we take the temperature of the country's most recent legislation with President Washington's Deputy Chief of Staff."  _

_ "How do you feel about the Heartbeat bills implemented in a wave of states?"  _

_ "I refuse to answer on that topic or any other reference to controversial laws being enacted, They were enacted by individual states, so unless someone brings a case before the Supreme Court, the White House has nothing to say on the matter." _

Technically, he did nothing wrong. The party line he gave was a variation of what anyone would have said, if a bit long-winded. He phrased it the way he did because keeping his usual flow meant there was less of a chance someone would call him out on his irritation. No, his mistake came later on. He let his guard down in the break room at the end of the show. 

_ "Seriously, though. We all know those bills are trash but one woman got beat up or shot or something and they almost sent her to jail because she had a miscarriage. I mean, who does that?!" The newscaster ranted.  _

_ "I can't argue against that." Alex snorted. "The thing is, at least for me, that the only people who should have any say in what happens to a pregnancy is the person carrying the baby, the doctor if there's danger, and maybe their partner." _

_ "Maybe?"  _

_ "Couples aren't always on good terms. You know how many abusers will use a baby as an excuse to trap their partner? Or as a threat to keep them compliant? Babies are completely dependent on you and there are assholes who will take advantage of that. Even if both parties agree on what they want to do, some people just aren't ready for a kid. They shouldn't have to be prepared for serious life changes every time they want to have some fun. People are allowed to do what they want without fear of repercussion as long as it's not putting anyone in harm's way. That's what this country was built on, so if everyone could leave each other the fuck alone and treat it like, I don't know, getting a new piercing or something, we could work towards actual issues. Like the living kids who get caught up in school shootings. Pass a few laws on that and then we'll talk."  _

This would come back to bite him later, being polite. It would hit him like a freight train, dragging his career and loved ones down with him. 

* * *

Aaron woke up after one of the best nights of his life to find that his partner was just as hungover as he was. Unlike him, she wasn't handling it well. 

"This is a sign." She groaned as she brushed her teeth in his shower.

"A sign?" He repeated dumbly.

"I need to cut back on the drinking. I'd have been clean for two months in another week."

"In this town, everyone's got some problems." He offered as what he hoped to be a comfort. "Need anything?" 

"Nope." She sighed. "Just wish I didn't have to get to work so early. I've got the fuckin opening shift, can you believe that?" 

"Well, uh, yeah. That sucks. If it helps, I won't be that far behind."

"It's three am. What do you have to do that has you up this early?" 

"Can't say." Aaron insisted apologetically. "But what I  _ can _ say is that there is a coffee shop not far from here that pulls all-nighters. I could get you something when I drop you off." 

"Just point me in the right direction and I'll be fine. Headache dulled down so whatever you gave me to drink makes you my hero." 

"You'll have to thank my brother for that. Got it from his mom's side of the family." 

"I could kiss that guy." 

"How about you kiss me again and I'll pass it on." Aaron simpered. That earned him a long kiss as he passed over her phone. 

"There's no passing these on." She murmured breathlessly. "But give him my thanks regardless." 

Aaron closed his eyes, savoring the moment as she walked down the hall and out of his house. This was a fantastic start to his day.

* * *

Madison was on his flight back when an attendant caught his attention. 

"We got a message from the front for you. Apparently, your boss was in a bike accident?"

That could mean a number of things. There was a reason they were being so vague, which meant that he was going to have a difficult time once he got off the plane. Hell, he was having a difficult time now, since he had one sentence to finish and the attendant tried to take his phone. 

"Thank you," Madison hissed through gritted teeth. "for the message. Now, if I could have my phone back?" 

The attendant must have seen something in his face because he got it back without further question. He typed out a few more words and closed the document. 

"Your services are greatly appreciated." Madison ground out. "Have a nice day." 

_ Apparently, your boss was in a bike accident. _

There were only so many people he reported to. If the first person that came to mind was caught up in something as dangerous as he was thinking of, nobody's day would end well. 

* * *

Laff was not having a good day. It was noticed as he stalked through the building, shoving greetings back in people's faces and snarling out for his deputy. 

"May I help you find the door?" Alex drawled, annoyed at the use of his full name. 

"You can help me by getting your head on straight. What's the nature of these 'border patrols gone wrong?'"

"There isn't one." Alex scoffed. 

"Well, do we know if anyone died?" 

"Not yet." 

"Do we have a count of who's  _ injured _ ?" 

"Not yet." 

"Is there  ** _any_ ** talk of asylum?" 

"No, sir." 

"True or false: if I'd been at the scene of that 'border patrol' I'd be no less informed than I am now." 

"Probably." 

"That's one load of dirty laundry to finish. How's your brother?" 

"Fine, I'd think. Why?" 

"He is not answering his phone at all." 

"He left it at home." 

"Can he get it back?" 

"For all I know, he flushed it down the toilet." 

"But that's a  _ work _ phone." 

"And it's not my problem. He's freaking out, if it helps you sleep at night." 

"I'll see if IT can rig something temporary for the day." 

"I'll pass on the message." 

"Alexander." 

"Seriously, the door's right there." 

"I'm glad you handled this the way that you did." 

"Well, now I know to keep my mouth shut." 

"It was not your fault." 

"We'll be under fire." 

"For being right, yes. Such is the way of the jungle sometimes." 

Alex snorted darkly and Laff left him to his own devices. They would try slandering him in the news, there would be some small price to pay, but Alex would keep his job. Washington put too much into the boy for anything less. 

* * *

"The President ran his bike into a tree." Angelica Schuyler repeated incredulously. "His  _ bike _ or his  _ motorcycle _ ?" 

"Motorcycle. Apparently, he was speeding, too. Flipped over a couple of times, probably hit his head." Lafayette informed her.

"That's Washington for you." The brunette shook her head. "Why? Why is this happening?" 

"Sometimes I ask myself that question." 

"Find an answer yet?" 

"You'll know when I do." 

"What do I say about… all this?"

Laff glanced up with an annoyed look on his face. 

"I am not the one to ask about doing your job, Ms. Schuyler." 

Angelica squared her shoulders and took a step back. Laff not being in a good mood meant that nobody else was in a good mood until his improved. 

"In general." She prompted calmly. 

"Stick with 'bike.' And say that the First Lady is unimpressed with his antics. It's funnier that way. Tell them the host of  _ Political Muse _ is under investigation. Tell them we will not accept comments on that disaster of a border patrol until we have more information. And take no questions." 

"Thank you, sir." 

"You'll do fine." 

"Of course, sir. Light day." 

"Light day." Lafayette repeated. "Gods above, I wish it were a light day." 

* * *

Aaron had no damn clue why Laff's ex wanted him to take her class on a White House tour when he barely knew the place himself, but he roped one of the assistants into helping. At least he wouldn't be alone with the little terrors. 

Aleta Nathans didn't like the White House. She credited George and Martha Washington with breaking up her marriage and despised Alex with the heat of a thousand suns. Apparently, he was indulging Laff's many issues that prompted said breakup. Since she couldn't get to Alex directly, she went for who she saw as the next best thing. 

So Aaron was freaking out internally about the fact that his phone was nowhere in sight while leading a bunch of fourth-graders through a tour of the White House. His younger sister, Theo, was halfway through her fifth-grade year. It wasn't hard to think of what he'd want to tell her if she came to the White House versus what he'd keep a lid on. 

The assistant he'd chosen was Jacqueline Masons, who had a younger brother a couple of years older than Theo. All in all, this was going rather well. 

"What's this?" One of the kids asked, pointing to a picture of Andrew Jackson charging at a boar. 

"The seventh President of the United States was Andrew Jackson. He did some pretty wild things in office. 

"Like what?" 

Taxed the hell out of the country, displaced whole civilizations, everyone still owned slaves at that point, displaced whole civilizations… I mean, there really is no way around talking about the Trail of Tears and how ridiculously terrifying that had to have been. Or slavery, which he definitely partook in. But these were fourth-graders and likely not there yet. 

Stick to taxing the hell out of the country.

"He made the entire country pay a bunch of money for things they could get at the grocery store today, and nobody was happy about that, so...which one was it, South? Pretty sure it was South Carolina that threatened to leave. And he shut them down really hard." 

"How?" 

"By saying he'd send people out there if they didn't cut it out." 

"Also, he kept a huge block of cheese in the front room of the White House and invited regular citizens to come and talk about their problems." Masons offered slyly.

Oh, right. Cheese Day. Everyone hated Cheese Day until they didn't. Aaron had yet to experience one, having been at the job for all of five months, but Alex said Cheese Day was the best thing to ever happen to the White House. Knowing Alex as an agent of chaos, it was probably just the most fun. 

This day was in no way comparable to Cheese Day, but seeing his wife conversing with her sister in the break room he normally frequented still made it an interesting one. 

"Is one of the kids dying?" He prompted cheerfully. Predictably enough, Eliza whirled around in one of the swivel chairs Angelica had bought for her office and barely managed to steady herself.

"Morning, Al. We were discussing the nature of the President's accident." 

"Which is…" 

"We're sticking with bike accident." 

"I still think he could be out of commission. It's a motorcycle wrapped around a tree! What is there to cover up?!" 

"Nothing, because he doesn't have any major injuries. And he's lucky not to. Why not keep it at bike accident?" 

"Because that'd be a lie, Angie." 

"We've lied about worse, m'dear," Alex drawled. "and will continue to do so. What brings you here?" 

"Some of the kids I teach are on a tour of the White House. They're with Aaron, one of the assistants, and several other chaperones so I said I needed to use the bathroom. What I really need is a break." 

"From?" 

"Hearing some sanitized version of everything I know about the White House. It's taking all my strength not to say 'the President is a living encyclopedia who knows the most random stuff. It's no surprise he's a distracted driver, I'm just glad he's alright!' to everyone else at my job."

"Please don't." Angelica groaned. "I can't believe we're calling it a bike accident." 

"Laff said 'light day.' That's what we give 'em." Alex grumbled. "At least until some other things start moving along."

"Hey, you've got that meeting with those people who hate your guts this afternoon, right? Am I in on that?" Angelica wondered.

"Which one?" Eliza asked.

Angelica burst into laughter. 

"Well!" Eliza whined. "It's not like I'm wrong to ask!" 

"I hate both of you right now." Alex grumbled into his third coffee. 

"The people who were wrong this time." Angelica assured her sister. "Anyway, I've got a press release and you've got a class to teach. Hey, that almost rhymes."

"I should probably get going. Thanks, both of you. Here's hoping Geo doesn't have scrambled eggs for a brainstorm." 

"Have a nice day, m'dear." Alex snorted, amused, as he watched her walk down the hall and rejoin her class. 

"You alright with how today's going?" Angelica asked quietly. "I know the Political Muse's shtick was a touchy subject for you." 

"It's not mine to bother with," Alex informed her. "and I should have kept my mouth shut."

* * *

Everything came to a head at the meeting with Political Muse. It was attended by various White House employees and some members of the opposing party who had also attended the Political Muse segments. The show's producers had revealed earlier on that they fired the host, and any further action would have to be taken against that person specifically. 

Such was the nature of this meeting. Or it was supposed to be. The meeting was actually the other members of the segment demanding their fair share of screen time, insisting that Alex cut them off on purpose and that the whole thing was a stunt between he and the news crew to deprive the world of their message. Which, given the circumstances, was bullshit. But there was no telling them that. 

"What do we get?" Alice Smith, the Christian fundamentalist rep demanded sharply. 

"The best we can do has already been done. We offered an official apology for your lost time. Everything else, you'll have to take up with the network that ran your channel. Perhaps they can re-air your piece." Madison offered.

"Not good enough." 

"Well, that's what we've got." 

"You want to talk about abortion, let's talk about abortion. We get time to properly explain the Heartbeat bills-." Smith insisted.

"We don't have control over that. Take it up with the  _ Political Muse _ show." 

"You had plenty of control when you said all that drivel about abortion!" Smith snapped.

"I didn't, actually." Alex informed the room at large. "That was recorded without my consent or my knowledge and is being dealt with appropriately." 

"Did your wife get the same treatment when she had your children?" Smith sneered.

"My wife and I don't have any children." Alex murmured, confused. "And even if we did, it  _ would _ be up to her if she wanted to be pregnant or not." 

"Oh, so the kids you have are by someone else, then. Out of wedlock, I presume? Or do both of them belong to that  _ roommate _ of yours?" 

"What kids-?" 

"Is she talking about," Madison demanded lowly, voice dangerous. "your nephew and his friend?"

"Why would she be? I don't bring them up around here." 

"Keeping secrets?" 

"No, dammit, that's-. Okay. Where… where are they?” Alex demanded shakily. "Someone… one of us should know where they are, right?" 

"Herc will be talking to both their details in a few seconds." 

"Good." Alex exhaled roughly, leaning forward. 

"It's not common knowledge because they're young and neither of them asked to be in the public eye. I do work for President Washington, but that's it. You just threatened two kids who have absolutely nothing to do with any of this, so _you don't get_ _a damn thing_." Alex growled.

"See, now there's something I can drink to." 

Alex rocketed to his feet alongside everyone else in the room. At the door, flanked by two men in charcoal grey suits speaking into radios, stood the President of the United States. His hair was a dark silver that bordered on grey. His eyes flashed a steely hazel. The warm brown skin on the back of his hands and arms was more wrinkled than Alex had ever seen it, which meant that he'd been worrying at it. His brow was smooth and his face was calm but he ground his teeth as if he was flicking away a particularly troublesome piece of food, and the look on his face was anything but welcoming to the visitors his people entertained. 

"Both children are fine. Aaron's picking them up from school just to be safe, but they've got their details and it'd take a hell of a lot to get to them." 

"Thank you, Sir. I… thank you." 

"That class was still there when I made my way in." The President offered calmly. 

Alex bobbed his head, still trying to make sense of how his life had gone from mildly irritating to fearing for his nephew's life in the span of seconds. These people weren't even enemies in the grand scheme of things. At the end of the day, they all worked for the same side. If  _ they _ could get to Phil then anyone could. And who's to say they would keep quiet-?

"Al, the kids are fine." Laurens said quietly. "If you want, I can see if Herc will let you talk to them, but they're fine. Nobody is looking for them. Nobody will do anything to them. These people got lucky." 

Alex blinked once, hard, and realized that he'd zoned out. He'd said exactly what he was thinking.

"I did not mean any of that." He forced out through choked breaths. "If you'll excuse me, Mr. President." 

Washington nodded and Alex all but bolted from the room. 

Much of the room watched him race down the hall and out of sight, before turning as one to the newcomers-turned-intruders. 

"I believe it is safe to say that not only are you not getting anything. You are not welcome in this White House and never have been." Washington growled. "You see, any other day I would entertain the idea of apologizing just to get it over with, because Mr. Hamilton having an opinion isn't wrong. He was indeed recorded without his knowledge and that will be taken care of by people who are not you. But you've made several mistakes, not in the least of which were intruding on the man's home life and threatening his children." 

Smith spluttered at that.

"Sir, we never-." 

"Ms. Schuyler, what did you tell the news cycle this morning about why I cut my vacation short?"

"That you were involved in a bike accident, sir." Angelica reported quietly. 

Washington snorted at that. 

"That's one way of putting it, I guess." He chuckled darkly. "Ladies and Gentlemen, I lost control of my motorcycle because I was driving in a blind rage. Something, you must all know, Martha has absolutely torn me up about. I'm not to be in control of a vehicle anytime in the next month or two, according to her."

"No more late night golf cart rides then, Mr. President?" Madison snickered.

"Oh, I figured I had a reason to protest but I forgot what it was! Thank you, James. Anyway, that bike accident happened because I was blinded by rage. Recently, I'd say within the past few weeks or so, one of my wife's nieces had a baby. That's why we were on vacation, actually. About the third day of our stay, a package arrived at the door. The Secret Service went through the contents, as usual, and it was wrapped for a baby shower. It didn't have anything immediately dangerous to the Secret Service. There was a doll. Nice felt Cabbage Patch looking ones. All dressed up like a doll should be. Not that the Secret Service would let us see it. They chucked the thing straight outside and into some van or something. I'd like to think they burnt it."

"Mr. President…" Madison whispered. "Did… someone threaten your family, sir?" 

"They did indeed. The doll was a brown one, lighter than my wife's niece but about the color her baby is now, as a newborn. It had a rope around its neck and a note taped to its front.  _ You chose right _ , it said.  _ Enjoy your prize _ . Because this niece had given a brief talk at a women's clinic affirming her legal right to an abortion. Which, apparently, is being taken away in some states and reclassified as murder."

"A rope…" Angelica whispered, fingering the necklace she wore. "Oh Jesus Christ. Do those assholes even stop to think for two seconds?!" She stopped, choked off. "I'm sorry, I just…"

"May I be excused, Mr. President?" Madison asked grimly. "I would like to check on Alex. And possibly throw something." 

"Take these folks with you. By all means, let the door hit them on the way out." Washington scoffed.

"We can find our way out well enough, sir." Someone from Smith's group mumbled. 

Washington turned every ounce of steel in his glare to his voice when he spoke next. 

"Find it now." He ordered. 

* * *

Alex found the tour group just as they were leaving. He looked panicked, eyes wide and bloodshot, panting as if exhausted from his run and shaking badly. He didn't have to say much. The chaperone at the back of the group pointed him to Eliza when asked. On top of that, she'd seen him coming and made her way back to the door. 

"What happened?” She asked when she reached him. "What's wrong?" 

He mumbled something about the Secret Service checking on the kids and Eliza hissed a breath through her teeth.

"Why is Herc getting the kids, Alex?" She prompted quietly, trying not to panic herself.

"Someone across the aisle mentioned them today. Phil is public record, but I'm not related to Taylor and nobody outside of the White House and family should know my living arrangements. So they're getting picked up early." 

"Do you want me to stay here?" 

"That… would be appreciated. If you can. If your class needs you, then by all means go, but-."

"It sounds like they'll be in more trouble if I go with them. I can contact the school just fine. There are more than enough chaperones." 

"Thank you." Alex exhaled roughly. "This shouldn't happen again." 

"I'll let you know when the kids get here. You should head back to that meeting." 

Alex nodded, flailed a bit, and skittered off to the Oval Office. Eliza was left wondering how this became such a strange day. 


End file.
